Roulette-style game of chance

ABSTRACT

A method of playing a game of chance including providing a game layout surface having a plurality of discrete wagering areas each configured for receiving a wager on the outcome of the game of chance. A card shuffling device is disposed adjacent the game layout surface and configured to rotate about a vertical axis. The device includes thirty eight slots configured to receive an individual card from among a defined set of cards. Each of the set of cards includes indicia thereon relevant to the outcome of the game of chance. One of the set of cards has indicia of a black joker and one of the set of cards has indicia of a color joker. After the cards are located in the slots and wagers are placed in one or more of the plurality of wagering areas, the card shuffling device is rotated. A card from among the set of cards is then selected to determine the outcome of the game of chance. The one or more wagers are then resolved based on the outcome according to the payouts of a conventional roulette game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/831,175, entitled “Roulette-Style Game of Chance”, and filed Jun. 5, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth fully herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a roulette-style game of chance. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a roulette-style game of chance that utilizes a card shuffling device to determine the outcome.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Games of chance are well known activities whose outcomes are strongly influenced by randomizing devices and upon which contestants may wager money as they forecast outcomes. Common randomizing devices include dice, spinning tops, playing cards, roulette wheels, prize wheels, and numbered balls drawn from containers. Games of chance have been played throughout all of human history, and are considered popular pastimes by many. Players of games of chance are attracted to new and exciting methods of game play as well as new and exciting randomizing devices. For this reason, the gaming industry is continuously developing new games and new randomizing devices to maintain player interest and attract new players.

Games of chance that include money wagers are typically regulated by governing authorities. These governing authorities enforce laws and regulations that are enacted to curtail certain kinds of games as well as certain kinds of randomizing devices. For example, in some jurisdictions, the use of dice or roulette wheels to resolve a game outcome, i.e., as the randomizing device, have been curtailed. Instead, randomizing devices that use playing cards have been utilized as they enjoy fewer restrictions.

Moreover, there is a desire within the gaming industry to develop new and interesting methods of game play and randomizing devices which utilize playing cards in unique and interesting ways, suited to fast-paced, high-volume activity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a roulette-style game of chance that can improve the efficiency of the casino dealers.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a roulette-style game of chance that can reduce the labor costs attributable to the operation of the game.

It is yet another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a roulette-style game of chance that utilizes a card shuffling device to determine the outcome.

It is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a roulette-style game of chance that can provide increased player entertainment and enjoyment.

In accordance with the above and the other aspects of the present disclosure, a method of playing a game of chance is provided. According to the method a game layout surface having a plurality of discrete wagering areas is provided. Each of the plurality of wagering areas is configured for receiving a wager on the outcome of the game of chance. The plurality of discrete wagering areas includes thirty eight separate card indicia wagering areas. According to the method a card shuffling device is provided adjacent the game layout surface. The card shuffling device is configured to rotate about a vertical axis. The card shuffling device includes thirty eight slots with each slot being configured to receive an individual card therein. Pursuant to the method a set of cards consisting of thirty eight cards is provided. Each of the thirty eight cards includes indicia thereon relevant to the outcome of the game of chance. One of the set of cards has indicia of a black joker and one of the set of cards has indicia of a color joker. One card is located in each of the slots in the card shuffling device. According to the method, one or more wager may be placed in the plurality of wagering areas. Next, the card shuffling device can be rotated. Then, a card from among the set of cards can be selected to determine the outcome of the game of chance. Once the card has been selected, the one or more wagers can be resolved according to the payouts of a conventional roulette game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a card shuffling device for a roulette-style game of chance in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a table layout for a roulette-style game of chance in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a card shuffling device for a roulette-style game of chance in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a casino game of chance upon which players may place wagers upon the outcome. According to an aspect, the casino game can include a random number generator that randomly determines a number that is relevant to determining an outcome of the game of chance. According to one aspect, a random number generator employed in connection with the present disclosure may be a card shuffling device, as discussed in more detail below. However, it will be appreciated that other random number generators may be employed such as a roulette wheel, dice, a spinning top or any other suitable device for randomly selecting a number.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary aspect of a table game system according to the present disclosure. According to an aspect, a roulette-style table game system 10 can include a random number generator in the form of a card shuffling device 12. According to an aspect, the card shuffling device 12 of the table game system 10 may be disposed adjacent a relatively flat table 16. According to an aspect, the table 16 can include a game layout 14 disposed thereon for allowing players to play the game of chance and to place wagers on its outcome. According to another aspect, the game layout 14 may be configured for the game of roulette. It will be appreciated that the game layout 14 could be configured for other games of chance, including craps or any other casino game where the random selection of one or more numbers can decide the outcome of the game of chance. Any other suitable game with predefined rules may be played. The table 16 may have various player positions disposed thereabout to allow easy access for players disposed about the table to the game layout 14.

According to another aspect, the system 10 may also include a computer or processor such that the game of chance may be controlled electronically and played from player terminals located adjacent to the table 16 or remote from the table 16. It will also be appreciated that the system 10 may be played entirely on a computer, including a processor and software for effectuating game play together with various player terminals.

With reference to the FIG. 1, an exemplary card shuffling device 12 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure is shown. According to an aspect, the card shuffling device 12 can include a turntable 20 that is supported for rotation about a central vertical axis A. The card shuffling device 12 may also include a central shaft 22 about which the turntable 20 can rotate about axis A. The card shuffling device 14 can also be mounted on a base portion 24, which can be supported on the table 16. Alternatively, the base portion 24 could be supported on a floor or other supporting member.

According to an aspect, the turntable 20 can include a predetermined number of trays 26 disposed therein, which are configured to receive a respective card therein. The trays 26 may be equally circumferentially spaced apart about the central vertical axis A. The turntable 20 may also include a plurality of dividers 28, which may be configured as upstanding pins located at or adjacent an outer periphery 30 of the turntable 20. The plurality of dividers 28 can be equal in number to the plurality of trays 26 and can be spaced one from another in equal circumferentially spaced increments about the central axis A. Each tray 26 can be configured to retain a single card 32 therein. According to another aspect, the depth of each tray 26 may be less than the width of each card 32 such that each card 32 may extend at least partially out of its respective tray 26 to allow for easy removal thereof. The cards 32 may be configured as standard sized cards formed of a relatively stiff material with a rectangular configuration. However, the cards may take on different shapes and sizes and may be formed of different materials.

According to an aspect, a set of cards 32 consisting of a predetermined number is provided. The number of cards 32 in the set may depend upon the game of chance being played. According to an aspect, the number of trays 26 formed in the turntable 20 may be equal to the number of cards 32 in the set. According to another aspect, each card 32 in the set may bear indicia related to an outcome of the game of chance. According to another aspect, the cards 32 can be shuffled at the beginning of each game and randomly placed in each of the trays 26 such that a single card 32 may be disposed in each tray 26. By this step, the order of the cards 32 can vary with respect to each game outcome. According to an aspect, the indicia of each card 32 will not be visible when the card 32 is disposed in the tray 36. Thus, according to an aspect the outcome will be unknown until the selected card 32 is pulled from its respective tray and its indicia revealed. It will be appreciated that the slots can take on a variety of different configurations. For example, the cards may be oriented “face up” on the device.

According to a further aspect, the card shuffling device 12 can include a flapper mechanism (not shown) that is fixed relative to the base portion 24. The flapper mechanism can apply a pulsating resistance to the free rotation of the turntable 20 by contacting each of the dividers 28 to progressively slow the rotation of the turntable 20 to a stopped condition relative to the base portion 24. The flapper mechanism can also serve to identify the card 32 that has been selected so that the correct card is pulled from its respective tray 26. The flapper mechanism can be manually moved by a game operator or dealer into or out of interaction with the dividers 28 after all wagers have been placed. An exemplary flapper mechanism is disclosed in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 13/691,290, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth fully herein. The flapper mechanism may take on a variety of different configurations. According to another aspect, the flapper mechanism may be automatically moved into and out of communication with the dividers 28 under computer control. According to still a further aspect, the turntable 20 could be randomly stopped under computer control without the need for any detent or flapper mechanism. According to still another aspect, the shuffling device 12 may take on a variety of different configurations, including as a vertical wheel where the card shuffling device rotates about a horizontal axis, such as is disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 8,505,919 entitled “Rotary Card Shuffling Machine”, which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth fully herein.

According to an aspect, cards from a standard deck may be utilized in connection with the card shuffling device 12 to determine the outcome of the game of chance. The utilization of a non-custom deck is a benefit under the laws of many jurisdictions. According to an aspect, the set of cards used with the preset roulette style game may include 38 individual cards. According to an aspect, indicia on the cards can consist of A through 8 of the four standard suits, namely clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. The deck can also include the 9 of spades, the 9 of diamonds, the 10 of clubs, and the 10 of hearts, as well as cards bearing indicia for the two traditional jokers. It will be appreciated that the cards could bear a variety of different indicia as well as a variety of different numbers and suits. Also, more or less than 38 cards may be included in the deck or set. However, in accordance with another aspect, the cards 32 can include an equal number of suits as well as an equal number of red cards and black cards. Additionally, the cards may also include an equal amount of odd and even numbers.

According to another aspect, the game of chance being played may be roulette and the turntable 20 can include 38 trays with each tray 26 receiving a single card 32. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary game layout for a roulette-style game of chance in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown, the game layout 14 can provide many different wagering options based on the indicia of the cards 32 contained in the shuffling device 12.

According to an aspect, the game layout 14 may appear similar to that of conventional roulette. As shown in FIG. 2, the game layout 14 can include a middle portion 50 consisting of individual card wagering locations 52 corresponding to the indicia of each individual card. The individual card wagering locations 52 can allow players to place wagers on each of the cards in the deck individually. The individual card wagering locations 52 may be disposed in three rows 54. According to this example, the individual card wagering locations 52 correspond to A through 10 of clubs, A through 9 of diamonds, A through 10 of hearts, and A through 9 of spades. It will be appreciated that the wagering locations 52 could be disposed in a variety of different arrangements. Also, the individual card indicia could vary as set forth above. Each of the individual card wagers may pay out similar to the conventional pay outs for the game of roulette. It will be appreciated that the pay outs could obviously vary.

According to another example, one or more joker wagering locations 56 for the color joker and the black and white joker may also be included. The joker wagering locations 56 can allow players to place wagers that either of the individual joker card indicia will be selected. Each of the joker wagering locations 56 may pay out similar to the numbers 0 and 00 in some conventional roulette games. According to still another aspect, if one of the jokers is drawn from the card shuffling device 12, all non-joker bets would lose. According to a still further aspect, the set of cards and the game layout 14 could include only a single joker, which could be employed to reduce the house edge. More or less cards may also be employed.

Additionally, three separate row wagering locations 58, 60, 62 may also be included. Each of the row wagering locations 58, 60, 62 allow players to place wagers that the card drawn from the shuffling device 12 will be located in one of the three rows, i.e., top, middle, bottom. According to another aspect, these row wagering locations 58, 60, 62 pay out at 2:1 odds. The game layout 14 can also include box wagering locations 64, 66, 68 that allow wagers to be placed on the outcome of the indicia of the drawn card being in the left third of the middle portion 50, the middle third of the middle portion 50, and the bottom third of the middle portion 50, respectively. According to this aspect, each of the box waging locations 64, 66, 68 pay out at 2:1 odds. It will be appreciated that the odds and pay outs can obviously vary.

According to another aspect, the game layout 14 may also include a left half wagering location 70 and a right half wagering location 72. These wagering locations allow a player to wager that the card drawn will appear in either the left half or the right of the middle portion 50. According to a further aspect, the game layout 14 may include a red wagering location 74 and a black wagering location 76 that allow players to wager that the card drawn will be red or black. Also, the game layout 14 may also include an odd wagering location 78 and an even wagering location 80 that allow players to wager that the card drawn from the shuffling device 12 will be odd or even. The game layout 14 can also include individual suit wagering locations 82, 84, 86, 88 which allow players to place wagers that the card drawn will correspond to a particular one of the four suits. Because the layout is similar to that employed with conventional roulette, dealers who are familiar with the odds and pay out for roulette can readily staff this game without having to learn new payouts.

In accordance with an aspect, the card shuffling device 12 may be rotated to randomly select at least one card, which once determines the outcome of the game of chance. Once the card has been identified or selected by the card shuffling device 12, the card may be removed from the shuffling device 12 identified and then utilized to determine the outcome of the game of chance. Based on the outcome, any wagers made on the outcome, such as can be placed on the game layout 14, can be resolved. According to an aspect, the card can be removed from the card shuffling device 12 by a live dealer. Alternatively, the card can be removed automatically by a mechanical arm. According to a still further aspect, once the card is removed from the card shuffling device 12, the live dealer could place the card on the table for display and then resolve any wagers based on the indicia of the displayed card. Alternatively, the indicia of the card could be read, such as by a camera, an RFID reader, or a bar code scanner, such that it is automatically input into the computer.

Instead of or in addition to the game layout 14, a plurality of player terminals (not shown) could be included that allow players to input their bets electronically and which will automatically resolve any wagers, such as is disclosed in more detail in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 13/691,290 entitled “Turbo Card Table Game with RFID Card Identifier”, and filed on Nov. 30, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth fully herein. This automatic resolution of wagers can help minimize the potential for any dealer errors. According to an aspect, any wagers could also be resolved automatically once the card indicia is entered into the computer whether manually by a dealer or whether read in, such as by an RF reader, bar code scanner, or camera.

According to another aspect, the cards in the card shuffling device 12 may each include a readable mechanism associated therewith, such as a bar code or an RFID tag that allows the cards to be automatically read by a card reader (not shown) in order to minimize dealer error that could result from manually inputting the card into a computer. Such a feature is disclosed in more detail in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 13/691,290, referenced above. Additionally, the entire process for playing the game could be automated, which would eliminate the need for a dealer altogether, such as is disclosed in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 61/749,725, entitled “Automated Multi-Game Card Reading Apparatus” and filed on Jan. 7, 2013, which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth fully herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates another aspect of a card shuffling device 100 in accordance with the disclosure. As shown, the card shuffling device 100 can include a turntable 102 that is supported for rotation about a central vertical axis A. The card shuffling device 100 may include a central shaft 104 about which the turntable 102 can rotate. According to an aspect, the card shuffling device 100 may include an outer ball ring portion 106. The outer ball ring portion 106 can be an integral part of the turntable 102. According to another aspect, a circular track 108 may be fixedly disposed around the turntable 102 such that the turntable 102 may rotate with respect to the circular track 108.

According to an aspect, the turntable 102 can include a predetermined number of trays 110 disposed therein. The trays 110 may be equally circumferentially spaced apart from the other trays about the central vertical axis A. According to an aspect, each tray 110 can be configured to retain a single card 112 therein. According to another aspect, the depth of each tray 110 may be less than the width of each card 112 such that each card 112 may extend at least partially out of the its respective tray 110 to allow for easy removal thereof. The cards 112 may be configured as standard sized cards formed of a relatively stiff material with a rectangular configuration. However, the cards may take on different shapes and sizes and may be formed of different materials.

The ball ring portion 106 may include a plurality of recesses 114 uniformly spaced thereabout. The plurality of recesses 114 can be equal in number to the plurality of trays 110 and can be spaced one from another in equal circumferentially spaced increments about the central axis A. According to an aspect, a ball can be rotated around the circular track 108 in an opposite direction from the rotation of the turntable 102. As the ball falls from the circular track 108, it will contact the ball ring portion 106 and ultimately settle into one of the plurality of recesses 114. According to an aspect, the total number or recesses 114 is the same as the number of trays 110 each recess 114 corresponds to one of the plurality of trays 110. Thus, the recess 114 into which the ball comes to rest designates the tray 110 from which the selected card 112 is pulled. The ball thus can help determine the outcome of the game of chance by helping to determine the card 112 that is selected. The cards 112 may be configured as discussed above and can bear indicia, as discussed above. According to another aspect, the cards 112 can be shuffled between each spin of the turntable and randomly placed in the trays 110 such that the order of the cards around the turntable 102 can vary for each game. According to an aspect, both the ball and the turntable can be rotated at the same time such as in opposite directions.

The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims. 

1. A method of playing a game of chance, comprising: providing a game layout surface for a game of chance with a plurality of discrete wagering areas relevant to outcomes of the game of chance, each of the plurality of wagering areas configured for receiving a wager on the outcome of the game of chance, the plurality of discrete wagering areas including thirty eight separate card indicia wagering areas; providing a card shuffling device adjacent the game layout surface, the card shuffling device being configured to rotate about a vertical axis and including thirty eight slots each configured to receive an individual card therein; providing a set of cards consisting of thirty eight individual cards, each of the thirty eight cards having indicia thereon relevant to the outcome of the game of chance, wherein one of the set of cards has indicia of a black joker and one of the set of cards has indicia of a color joker; locating each of the individual cards in a respective slot in the card shuffling device; accepting one or more wagers in one or more of the plurality of wagering areas; rotating the card shuffling device; selecting a card from one of the slots to determine the outcome of the game of chance; and resolving the one or more wagers according to the payouts of a conventional roulette game.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a circular track disposed around an outer periphery of the card shuffling device, the circular track including a plurality of ball receiving recesses corresponding to each card of the set of cards and wherein the method further comprises: rotating a ball around the circular track such that it can come to rest in one of the plurality of ball receiving recesses to select the card from among the set of cards.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a flapper mechanism adjacent the card shuffling device; engaging the flapper mechanism with the card shuffling device during rotation thereof to stop rotation of the card shuffling device and effectuate selecting the card from the set of cards.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: orienting each of the cards in its respective slots such that their indicia are hidden as the card shuffling device is rotating.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the card indicia wagering areas correspond to the following card indicia: A through 9 of spades; A though 9 of diamonds; A through 10 of hearts; and A through 10 of clubs;
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the game layout surface includes the following discrete wagering areas: black joker wagering area; color joker wagering area; row wagering areas; color red wagering area; color black wagering area; odd number wagering area; and even number wagering area.
 7. A method of playing a game of chance, comprising: providing a table having a game layout surface disposed thereon configured for playing a game of chance, the game layout surface having a plurality of wagering areas upon which players may place wagers on an outcome of the game of chance; providing a card shuffling device adjacent the game layout surface, the card shuffling device being configured to rotate about a vertical axis and including thirty eight slots each configured to receive an individual card therein; providing a set of cards consisting of thirty eight cards, each of the thirty eight cards having indicia thereon relevant to the outcome of the game of chance, wherein one of the set of cards has indicia of a black joker and one of the set of cards has indicia of a color joker; providing thirty eight discrete card indicia wagering areas on the game layout surface which correspond to the indicia of each of the thirty eight cards in the set of cards; providing an odd number wagering area; providing an even number wagering area; providing a heart suit wagering area; providing a club suit wagering area; providing a diamond suit wagering area; providing a spade suit wagering area; locating one card of the set of cards in each of the slots in the card shuffling device; accepting one or more wagers in one or more of the plurality of wagering areas; rotating the card shuffling device; selecting a card from among the set of cards to determine the outcome of the game of chance; and resolving the one or more wagers according to the payouts of a conventional roulette game.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: a circular track disposed around an outer periphery of the card shuffling device, the circular track including a plurality of ball receiving recesses corresponding to each card of the set of cards and wherein the method further comprises: rotating a ball around the circular track such that it can come to rest in one of the plurality of ball receiving recesses to select the card from among the set of cards.
 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising: providing a flapper mechanism adjacent the card shuffling device; engaging the flapper mechanism with the card shuffling device during rotation thereof to stop rotation of the card shuffling device and effectuate selecting the card from the set of cards.
 10. The method of claim 7, further comprising: orienting each of the cards in its respective slots such that its indicia are hidden as the card shuffling device is rotating.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein card indicia wagering areas correspond to the following card indicia: A through 9 of spades; A though 9 of diamonds; A through 10 of hearts; and A through 10 of clubs. 